Lecture 3 - Attitudes and Behaviour

Question 1

Define attitudes.

Answer 1

Cognitive representations that summarise an evaluation of a particular person, group, action, or idea.

Question 2

What is approach-avoidance?

Answer 2

The indication of agreement using simple physical movements (e.g. pulling an object towards you).

Question 3

What is embodied cognition?

Answer 3

The way that we act influences our attitudes and emotions.

Question 4

What did Wells and Petty (1980) find about head shaking (as an example of embodied cognition)?

Answer 4

Those that nodded yes whilst listening to a pro-tuition speech recommended higher tuition fees than those shaking their head no.

Question 5

How does self perception of behaviour relate to attitudes?

Answer 5

Reflecting on one’s own behaviour may change previously neutral attitudes towards that activity/behaviour.

Question 6

What is the foot in the door technique?

Answer 6

Asking for a bigger favour after agreeing for a smaller favour.

Question 7

Why does wearing a pin aid the foot in the door technique?

Answer 7

It causes people to feel committed to the cause, and makes them want to behave consistently - i.e. I am wearing the pin, sho I should also donate.

Question 8

What do low self monitors display?

Answer 8

Same personality/consistent behaviour no matter where they are.

Question 9

Low self monitors are more/less likely to show the foot in the door (FITD) technique, and why?

Answer 9

More. They show the same personality/behaviour no matter where they are, so feel more obliged to be consistent in marketing/sales situations

Question 10

What are the 3 moderators of attitudes, such as susceptibility to the foot in the door technique?

Answer 10

• Individual differences (e.g. self-monitoring)
• Attitude strength
• Attitude performance

Question 11

How does attitude strength relate to susceptibility to the FITD technique?

Answer 11

The stronger the attitude, the less influence such actions (FITD) will have.

Question 12

How does attitude importance relate to susceptibility to the FITD technique?

Answer 12

When there are actual consequences at play, and attitudes have more importance, influences are more effective.

Question 13

What is cognitive dissonance?

Answer 13

The state of unpleasantness and negative tension caused when one’s attitude and behaviour are in conflict.

Question 14

What are the 4 steps that create cognitive dissonance?

Answer 14

• Awareness of inconsistency
• Attribution of personal responsibility (more dissonance with choice)
• Experience of negative arousal
• Attribution of arousal to inconsistency

Question 15

Which step is normally targeted when preventing dissonance?

Answer 15

Any, as all 4 are needed to lead to cognitive dissonance.

Question 16

What are ways of preventing cognitive dissonance?

Answer 16

• denial of inconsistency
• denial of personal responsibility
• reduction of physiological arousal
• attribution of arousal to other causes

Question 17

What are ways of reducing cognitive dissonance (once it has occurred)?

Answer 17

• Change attitudes/consonant cognitions (rationalisation)
• Behaviour change (pledge to change future behaviour)
• Self-affirmation, moral licensing (I’m a good person so it doesn’t matter)

Question 18

What are the 3 elements which influence intentions?

Answer 18

• Attitude
• Subjective norms
• Perceived control

Question 19

What is the estimated correlation between attitudes and behaviour?

Answer 19

.4

Question 20

What does MODE stand for?

Answer 20

Motivation and Opportunity as Determinants of behaviour.

Question 21

What has been found regarding bias perception in facial processing?

Answer 21

People are quicker at identifying and reacting to faces that they have rehearsed to. The same occurs for attitudes.

Question 22

What does the MODE model/theory of reasoned action suggest?

Answer 22

That, if people have sufficient motivation and opportunity, they may base decisions on deliberation (and think through the decision properly).

Question 23

What is likely to occur when motivation or opportunity is low, according to the MODE model/theory of reasoned action?

Answer 23

Only attitudes that are highly accessible (and that have been rehearsed) will predict spontaneous behaviour.

Question 24

What does deliberation predict?

Answer 24

Deliberation predicts reasoned actions, but only when motivation and opportunity is present.

Question 25

What is spontaneous behaviour driven by?

Answer 25

Spontaneous behavior is driven by strong, not reasoned attitudes, in the absence of motivation or opportunity.

Question 26

Attitude-congruent behaviour becomes what?

Answer 26

Attitude-congruent behaviour can become automatized through practice or repetition - leads to habit forming.

Question 27

When do attitudes influence actions?

Answer 27

When:

• attitudes are accessible
• attitudes are compatible with behaviour
• behaviour is controllable